JP7374416B2 - rotary damper - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a rotary damper used as a kinetic energy damping device in a rotation mechanism of a four-wheeled or two-wheeled self-propelled vehicle or industrial machinery.

Conventionally, in four-wheel or two-wheel self-propelled vehicles or industrial machinery, rotary dampers have been used as kinetic energy damping devices in rotating mechanisms. For example, in Patent Document 1 listed below, the inside of the housing is divided into four working chambers by two partition walls provided inside the housing and two vanes provided in the shape of feathers on a shaft rotating inside the housing. A rotary damper is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-82593

However, in the rotary damper disclosed in Patent Document 1, the air inside the housing including the working chamber is vacuumed by a vacuum pump, so it is difficult to manufacture or maintain the rotary damper in an environment where a vacuum pump is not available. The problem was that it was not possible.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and its purpose is to provide a structure that allows the air in the housing to be manually evacuated even in environments where a vacuum pump is not available. The object of the present invention is to provide a rotary damper that can be manufactured or maintained even if

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized by having a cylindrical hydraulic fluid storage portion that fluid-tightly accommodates a hydraulic fluid, and a wall formed in the hydraulic fluid storage portion along the radial direction. The housing has a plurality of fixed vanes that partition the inside of the hydraulic fluid storage section and prevent the flow of the hydraulic fluid in the circumferential direction. A rotor having a movable vane that rotates, at least four private chambers formed by a fixed vane and a movable vane in a hydraulic fluid storage part and whose volume increases or decreases depending on the direction of rotation of the movable vane, and a private chamber formed in the housing. In the rotary damper, the air vent hole includes an air vent hole that communicates with the outside of the housing, and a communication path that communicates at least two of the at least four private chambers with each other, and the air vent hole connects one of the at least two fixed vanes with the other. It is provided only in one or both of two private rooms that are adjacent to each other via one fixed vane , and it is also provided at the top of the private room when the rotary damper is attached to the object to which the rotary damper is attached. The communication path is formed so that the private chamber in which the air vent hole is formed is directly or indirectly connected to all the private chambers in which the same air vent hole is not formed.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized by having a cylindrical hydraulic fluid storage portion that fluid-tightly accommodates a hydraulic fluid, and a wall formed in the hydraulic fluid storage portion along the radial direction. The housing has a plurality of fixed vanes that partition the inside of the hydraulic fluid storage section and prevent the flow of the hydraulic fluid in the circumferential direction. A rotor having a movable vane that rotates, at least four private chambers formed by a fixed vane and a movable vane in a hydraulic fluid storage part and whose volume increases or decreases depending on the direction of rotation of the movable vane, and a private chamber formed in the housing. In the rotary damper, the air vent hole includes an air vent hole that communicates with the outside of the housing, and a communication path that communicates at least two of the at least four private chambers with each other, and the air vent hole connects one of the at least two fixed vanes with the other. It is provided only in one or both of the two compartments adjacent to each other via one fixed vane , and is formed to protrude from the outer surface of the housing , and the communication path is connected to the compartment in which the air vent hole is formed. All the private rooms that do not have air vent holes are formed to communicate directly or indirectly.

According to the feature of the present invention configured in this way, since the rotary damper is formed by connecting one or two private chambers each having an air vent hole to another private chamber, the air inside the housing is removed from the air vent hole. The rotary damper can be manufactured or maintained even in an environment where a vacuum pump is not available.

Another feature of the present invention is that in the rotary damper, when the rotary damper is attached to an object to which the rotary damper is attached, the air vent hole is connected to two adjacent compartments via the uppermost fixed vane. The reason is that it is provided on one or both of the According to another feature of the present invention configured in this way, the rotary damper has two air vent holes that are adjacent to each other via the uppermost fixed vane when the rotary damper is attached to the object to which the rotary damper is attached. Since the rotary damper is provided in one or both of the two private chambers, the air in the housing can be exhausted while the rotary damper is attached to the object. That is, the rotary damper according to the present invention can reduce the work load during maintenance of the rotary damper.

Another feature of the present invention is that in the rotary damper, the air vent hole is formed at a position adjacent to the fixed vane.

According to another feature of the present invention configured in this way, in the rotary damper, the air vent hole is formed at a position adjacent to the fixed vane, so that the movable vane moves from the farthest position to the fixed vane to the closest position. Air can be vented at any position within the movable range of the position.

Another feature of the present invention is that in the rotary damper, air vent holes are provided in both of the two compartments adjacent to each other via one fixed vane.

According to another feature of the present invention configured in this way, the rotary damper is provided with air vent holes in both of the two compartments adjacent to each other via one fixed vane, so that it is possible to easily bleed air in either of the two compartments. Air can be vented efficiently using one or both of the private rooms, and the degree of freedom in designing the communication path connecting these two private rooms can be increased.

Another feature of the present invention is that in the rotary damper, the air vent hole has a hydraulic fluid pocket that projects outward from the inner wall of the hydraulic fluid storage portion in a cylindrical shape and accommodates a portion of the hydraulic fluid.

According to another feature of the present invention configured in this way, the rotary damper has a hydraulic fluid pocket in which the air vent hole protrudes outward from the inner wall of the hydraulic fluid storage portion in a cylindrical shape and accommodates a portion of the hydraulic fluid. Therefore, if air is mixed in the hydraulic fluid, this air will enter the hydraulic fluid pocket, thereby restricting the movement of the air and making it easier to exhaust the air.

Another feature of the present invention is that in the rotary damper, the housing includes a cylindrical housing body with a bottom that forms a hydraulic fluid storage portion, and a lid body that covers an opening of the housing body, and the housing includes an air vent. The hole is formed in the housing body.

According to another feature of the present invention configured in this way, the air vent hole is formed in the bottomed cylindrical housing body that forms the hydraulic fluid storage portion, so that the air vent hole is formed in the cylindrical housing body along the cylindrical surface. The air concentrated at the top of the can be effectively exhausted.

Further, in the rotary damper according to the present invention, the communication path is arranged between at least two private chambers whose volume simultaneously decreases when the movable vane rotates in one direction, and whose volume simultaneously increases when the movable vane rotates toward the other side. a first two-way communication path through which the working fluid flows through each other; and at least two paths in which a volume increases simultaneously when a movable vane rotates in the one direction, and a volume simultaneously decreases when the movable vane rotates in the other direction. at least one of the communicating private chambers and the first chamber, which are the at least two private chambers communicated by a first one-way communication path that allows hydraulic fluid to flow only from one to the other between the two private chambers; and a first two-way communication path. A hydraulic fluid is allowed to flow from the one-side communicating private chamber side to the one-sided communicating private chamber side between at least one of the at least two one-sided communicating private chambers that are communicated by the directional communication passage, and from the one-sided communicating private chamber side to the one-sided communicating private chamber side. a second two-way communication passage through which the hydraulic fluid flows while restricting it; and at least one of the communication private chambers with which the second two-way communication passage does not communicate with the second two-way communication passage and one side communication private chamber with which the second two-way communication passage does not communicate. and a second one-way communication passage that restricts and allows the working fluid to flow only from the one-side communication private chamber side to the communication private chamber side, and the air vent holes communicate with each other through the first two-way communication passage. The at least one private room may be provided in one of the at least two private rooms that communicate with the at least two private rooms through the first one-way communication path.

In this case, circulating the hydraulic fluid while restricting it from the communicating private chamber side to the one side communicating private chamber side in the second two-way communication path means that the hydraulic fluid flows easily from the one side communicating private chamber side to the communicating private chamber side in the previous stage. This means that under the same conditions, the flow is made more difficult and a pressure difference is created between the two. In addition, restricting the working fluid to flow only from the one-side communicating private room side to the communicating private room side in the second one-way communicating path means that the working fluid flows from the one-side communicating private room side to the communicating private room side in the second two-way communicating path. This means that the flow is made more difficult under the same conditions, creating a pressure difference between the two. In these cases, the restriction of the flow of the hydraulic fluid is achieved by the size of the flow path through which the hydraulic fluid flows or by the load that obstructs the flow.

According to the rotary damper configured in this way, the plurality of private chambers constituting one hydraulic fluid storage section are connected by a first two-way communication path, a first one-way communication path, a second two-way communication path, and a second one-way communication path. By communicating through the communication passage, the number of individual chambers where the pressure increases is different when the rotor rotates in one direction and when the rotor rotates in the other direction, so when the rotor rotates in one direction and the other The device configuration of the rotary damper, which has a different damping force depending on when it is rotated, can be made smaller, simpler, and lighter.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing the overall configuration of a rotary damper according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the external configuration of the rotary damper shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the rotary damper taken along the line 3-3 shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing the external configuration of the rotary damper shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the rotary damper taken along the line 5-5 shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the rotary damper taken along the line 6-6 shown in FIG. 4. FIG. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the cross-sectional structure of the rotary damper in order to explain the movement of air when the rotor of the rotary damper shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is rotated counterclockwise. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of the rotary damper in order to explain a state in which air is removed from the private chamber of the rotary damper shown in FIG. 7; FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the cross-sectional structure of the rotary damper in order to explain the movement of air when the rotor of the rotary damper shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is rotated clockwise. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of the rotary damper in order to explain a state in which air is removed from a private chamber of the rotary damper shown in FIG. 9; FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of the rotary damper in order to explain an operating state in which the rotor of the rotary damper shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is rotated counterclockwise. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of the rotary damper in order to explain an operating state in which the rotor of the rotary damper shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively rotates clockwise. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of a rotary damper in order to explain the movement of air when the rotor of a rotary damper according to a modification of the present invention is rotated counterclockwise. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of the rotary damper in order to explain the movement of air when the rotor of the rotary damper shown in FIG. 13 is rotated clockwise. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the overall configuration of a rotary damper according to another modification of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure of a rotary damper according to another modification of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a rotary damper according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the overall configuration of a rotary damper 100. Further, FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the external configuration of the rotary damper 100 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the rotary damper 100 taken along line 3-3 shown in FIG. Further, FIG. 4 is a side view schematically showing the external configuration of the rotary damper 100 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the rotary damper 100 taken along line 5-5 shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the rotary damper 100 taken along line 6-6 shown in FIG.

Note that each of the drawings referred to in this specification includes some parts that are schematically illustrated, such as exaggerating some of the constituent elements, in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention. Therefore, dimensions and ratios between each component may differ. This rotary damper 100 is a damping device that is attached to the base end of a swing arm that supports the rear wheels of a two-wheeled self-propelled vehicle (motorcycle) so that they can move up and down, and attenuates kinetic energy when the rear wheels move up and down. .

(Configuration of rotary damper 100)
The rotary damper 100 includes a housing 101. The housing 101 is a component that rotatably holds the rotor 120 and constitutes the casing of the rotary damper 100, and is made of aluminum, iron, zinc, or various resin materials such as polyamide resin. Specifically, the housing 101 is mainly composed of a housing body 102 and a lid 110.

The housing body 102 is a component that accommodates movable vanes 127, 128 and a hydraulic fluid 140 of the rotor 120, which will be described later, and rotatably supports one end of the shaft body 121 of the rotor 120. It is formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape with a large opening and a small opening at the other end. More specifically, the housing main body 102 has a cylindrical hydraulic fluid storage section 103 formed on the side of the opening 102a that is large at one end of the cylinder, and a bottom section 103a of the hydraulic fluid storage section 103. A rotor support portion 107 is formed in an open state.

The hydraulic fluid storage section 103 is a space that fluid-tightly accommodates the hydraulic fluid 140 together with the movable vanes 127 and 128 of the rotor 120, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, respectively. It is composed of two semi-cylindrical spaces facing each other with a rotor 120 disposed in between. Fixed vanes 104 and 105 are formed integrally with the housing body 102 within these hydraulic fluid storage portions 103, respectively.

The fixed vanes 104 and 105 are wall-shaped parts that partition the inside of the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 together with the rotor 120 to form private rooms R1 to R4, and extend inward from the storage section wall surface 103b along the axial direction of the housing body 102. It is formed in a convex shape. In this case, the two fixed vanes 104 and 105 are provided at positions facing each other in the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral surface of the housing wall surface 103b. Each of these fixed vanes 104 and 105 is formed into a groove shape with a concave tip portion facing a lid body 110 and a shaft body 121 of a rotor 120, which will be described later. is embedded.

The seal body 106 is a component for ensuring liquid tightness of the private chambers R1 to R4 formed in the hydraulic fluid storage section 103, and is made of various rubber materials such as nitrile rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, or fluoro rubber. It is constructed by forming an elastic material into an L-shape when viewed from the side. The seal body 106 is attached to protrude from each tip of the fixed vanes 104 and 105 so as to be slidably in close contact with the inner surface of the lid body 110 and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body 121 of the rotor 120. .

The rotor support portion 107 is a cylindrical portion that rotatably supports one end of the shaft body 121 of the rotor 120. This rotor support portion 107 liquid-tightly supports the shaft body 121 of the rotor 120 via a sealing material such as a bearing and packing.

Air vent holes 108a and 109a are formed in the outer periphery of the housing body 102, respectively. The air vent holes 108a and 109a are parts for exhausting the entire air inside the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 to the outside of the housing 101 via the private chambers R1 and R4 formed in the hydraulic fluid storage section 103, and It is configured with a through hole that penetrates the side surface of the hydraulic fluid storage section 102 and opens into the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 . More specifically, the air vent holes 108a and 109a are formed in a cylindrical shape extending outward from the storage wall surface 103b of the hydraulic fluid storage section 103.

The air vent holes 108a and 109a are provided only in the two private rooms R1 and R4 that are adjacent to each other via one of the two fixed vanes 104 and 105, respectively. In this case, the air vent hole 108a and the air vent hole 109a are formed adjacent to both sides of the fixed vane 104, respectively. Furthermore, when the rotary damper 100 is attached to an object such as a swing arm, the air vent hole 108a and the air vent hole 109a communicate with the private rooms R1 and R4, which are physically located above the private rooms R2 and R3. They are each formed as follows.

Plugs 108b and 109b are provided in these air vent holes 108a and 109a. The plugs 108b and 109b are parts for opening and closing the air vent holes 108a and 109a, and are configured by having a male screw formed on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical body made of metal material. That is, the plugs 108b and 109b are removably attached to the air vent holes 108a and 109a by screwing them into the air vent holes 108a and 109a. Note that the plugs 108b and 109b have hexagonal bottomed holes in a plan view, into which a tool is inserted and rotated.

Furthermore, these plugs 108b and 109b are formed to have a length shorter than the length of the air vent holes 108a and 109a in the axial direction. As a result, hydraulic fluid pockets 108c and 109c into which a portion of the hydraulic fluid 140 enters are formed in the air vent holes 108a and 109a, respectively, while communicating with the private chambers R1 and R4, respectively.

The lid body 110 is a component for liquid-tightly closing the hydraulic fluid storage portion 103 formed in the housing body 102, and one end of the rotor support portion 111 formed in a cylindrical shape protrudes like a flange. It is formed into a shape. The rotor support portion 111 is a cylindrical portion that rotatably supports the other end of the shaft body 121 of the rotor 120. This rotor support portion 111 liquid-tightly supports the shaft body 121 of the rotor 120 via a sealing material such as a bearing and packing.

Further, the lid body 110 is provided with bypass passages 112a, 112b and adjustment needles 113a, 113b, respectively. The bypass passage 112a is a passage that allows the private chamber R1 and the private chamber R2 in the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 to communicate with each other so that the hydraulic fluid 140 flows through each other, and also communicates the private chamber R1 and the private chamber R2 with the outside. The bypass passage 112b is a passage that allows the private chamber R2 and the private chamber R4 in the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 to communicate with each other, allowing the hydraulic fluid 140 to flow with each other, and also communicates the private chamber R2 and the private chamber R4 with the outside.

Further, the adjustment needles 113a and 113b are parts for sealing the insides of the bypass passages 112a and 112b from the outside, respectively, and adjusting the flow rate of the circulating hydraulic fluid 140. The flow rate of the hydraulic fluid 140 can be increased or decreased by using and rotating it. The lid body 110 is attached by four bolts 114 to the end of the housing body 102 on the side where the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 opens.

The rotor 120 is disposed within the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 of the housing 101 and partitions the interior of the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 into four spaces, namely, a private chamber R1, a private chamber R2, a private chamber R3, and a private chamber R4. It is a component for increasing and decreasing the volume of each of these private rooms R1, R2, R3, and R4 by rotating within 103, and mainly consists of a shaft body 121 and movable vanes 127, 128. has been done.

The shaft body 121 is a round bar-shaped portion that supports the movable vanes 127 and 128, and is made of aluminum, iron, zinc, or various resin materials such as polyamide resin. This shaft body 121 has both ends formed in a cylindrical shape, and a support shaft part 122 is formed at one end (the upper side in FIG. 3) of these, and the other end (the lower side in FIG. 3). A connecting portion 123 is formed at the end of the connecting portion 123 .

The support shaft portion 122 is a portion that is slidably supported by the rotor support portion 107 and holds the accumulator 124, and is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The connecting portion 123 is a portion for connecting to one of the two components to which the rotary damper 100 is attached. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 123 is formed of a bottomed cylindrical hole with a hexagonal cross section.

The accumulator 124 is a device for compensating for volume changes due to expansion or contraction of the hydraulic fluid 140 in the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 due to temperature changes. Specifically, the accumulator 124 mainly includes a cylinder 124a, a piston 124b, a pressing elastic body 124c, and a plug 124d. The cylinder 124a is a portion that accommodates the hydraulic fluid 140, the piston 124b, and the pressing elastic body 124c, and is formed in a cylindrical shape at the one end of the shaft body 121 in communication with the first one-way communication passage 126. ing.

The piston 124b has a cup body which is opened toward the first one-way communication passage 126 at the tip of a rod extending in the axial direction within the cylinder 124a and sends or receives hydraulic oil 140 to the first one-way communication passage 126. It is a part formed by The pressing elastic body 124c is a coil spring that is provided between the cup body of the piston 124b and the plug 124d and elastically presses the piston 124b toward the first one-way communication path 126 side. The plug 124d is a component that receives the reaction force of the pressing elastic body 124c, and is threaded into the end of the cylinder 124a. That is, the accumulator 124 is integrally assembled within the shaft body 112.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, a first bidirectional communication path 125 and a first unidirectional communication path 126 are formed in the shaft body 121, respectively. The first two-way communication path 125 is a space between two private rooms whose volume simultaneously decreases when the movable vanes 127 and 128 rotate in one direction, and whose volume simultaneously increases when the movable vanes 127 and 128 rotate in the other direction. This is a passageway that allows the working fluid 140 to flow between them. In the present embodiment, the first two-way communication path 125 is a private room R1 whose volume simultaneously decreases when the movable vanes 127 and 128 rotate clockwise in the drawing, and whose volume simultaneously increases when the movable vanes 127 and 128 rotate counterclockwise in the drawing. The private chamber R3 is formed so as to pass through the shaft body 121 so as to communicate with each other.

The first one-way communication passage 126 is composed of two private chambers whose volume increases simultaneously when the movable vanes 127 and 128 rotate in the one direction, and whose volume simultaneously decreases when the movable vanes 127 and 128 rotate in the other direction. This is a passageway through which the hydraulic fluid 140 flows only from one side to the other. In the present embodiment, the first one-way communication path 126 is a private room R2 whose volume increases at the same time when the movable vanes 127 and 128 rotate clockwise in the drawing, and whose volume simultaneously decreases when the movable vanes 127 and 128 rotate counterclockwise in the drawing. A private chamber R4 is formed so as to pass through the shaft body 121 via a one-way valve 126a so that the hydraulic fluid 140 flows only from the private chamber R2 to the private chamber R4. The first one-way communication passage 126 also communicates with the accumulator 124 on the upstream side of the one-way valve 126a in the flow direction of the hydraulic fluid 140.

The one-way valve 126a allows the hydraulic fluid 140 to flow from the private chamber R2 side to the private chamber R4 side in the first one-way communication path 126 that communicates the private chamber R2 and the private chamber R4, and allows the hydraulic fluid 140 to flow from the private chamber R4 side to the private chamber R2 side. It is a valve that prevents flow.

The movable vanes 127 and 128 are parts for partitioning the inside of the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 into a plurality of spaces and increasing and decreasing the volume of each of these spaces in a fluid-tight manner. Each of them is constructed of a plate-shaped body extending in the radial direction. In this case, these two movable vanes 127 and 128 are formed to extend in mutually opposite directions (in other words, on the same virtual plane) via the shaft body 121. These movable vanes 127 and 128 have C-shaped (or U-shaped) tip portions that are respectively formed in a groove shape that faces the bottom portion 103a, the housing wall surface 103b, and the inner surface of the lid body 110. A seal body 129 is fitted into each of these grooves.

Like the seal body 106, the seal body 129 is a component for ensuring liquid tightness of the private chambers R1 to R4 formed in the hydraulic fluid storage section 103, and is made of nitrile rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, or fluorine rubber. It is constructed by forming an elastic material such as various rubber materials into a C-shape (or U-shape) when viewed from the side. The seal body 129 is attached to protrude from each tip of the movable vanes 127 and 128 so as to be slidably in close contact with the bottom portion 103a, the housing wall surface 103b, and the inner surface of the lid body 110, respectively.

As a result, the movable vanes 127 and 128 cooperate with the fixed vanes 104 and 105 to make the four spaces in the hydraulic fluid storage section 103, namely the private chamber R1, the private chamber R2, the private chamber R3, and the private chamber R4, liquid-tight with each other. to form. More specifically, in the hydraulic fluid storage section 103, a private chamber R1 is formed by the fixed vane 104 and the movable vane 127, a private chamber R2 is formed by the movable vane 127 and the fixed vane 105, and a private chamber R2 is formed by the fixed vane 105 and the movable vane 105. The vane 128 forms a private room R3, and the movable vane 128 and the fixed vane 104 form a private room R4. That is, the private chamber R1, the private chamber R2, the private chamber R3, and the private chamber R4 are formed adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction in the hydraulic fluid storage portion 103.

A second two-way communication path 131 and a second one-way communication path 132 are formed in these movable vanes 127 and 128, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5, 6, and 7 to 12. There is. The second two-way communication path 131 communicates with the private room R1 of the two communicating private rooms R1 and R3, which are communicated by the first two-way communication path 125, and the two-way communication path 126, which is connected by the first one-way communication path 126. The movable vane 127 is formed to partition the private room R1 and the private room R2 so that the private room R2 as one side communicating private room and the private room R2 of the private rooms R4 communicate with each other.

This second two-way communication path 131 allows the hydraulic fluid 140 to flow from the private room R2 side, which is a one-sided communicating private room, to the private room R1 side, which is a communicating private room, and also to circulate the hydraulic fluid 140 while restricting it from the private room R1 side to the private room R2 side. It is configured to allow Specifically, the second two-way communication path 131 is configured by a one-way valve 131a and a throttle valve 131b arranged in parallel.

The one-way valve 131a is configured as a valve that allows the hydraulic fluid 140 to flow from the private chamber R2 side to the private chamber R1 side, and prevents the hydraulic fluid 140 from flowing from the private chamber R1 side to the private chamber R2 side. Further, the throttle valve 131b is configured of a valve that can restrict the flow of the hydraulic fluid 140 between the private chamber R1 and the private chamber R2 while allowing the hydraulic fluid 140 to flow in both directions. In this case, restricting the flow of the hydraulic fluid 140 in the throttle valve 131b means operating under the same conditions (for example, pressure and viscosity of the hydraulic fluid) as compared to the ease of flow of the hydraulic fluid 140 in the one-way valve 131a. This means that the liquid 140 is difficult to flow.

The second one-way communication path 132 connects a private room R3, which is a communicating private room with which the second two-way communication path 131 does not communicate, and a private room R4, which is a one-sided communication private room with which the second two-way communication path 131 does not communicate. It is formed in a movable vane 128 that partitions the private room R3 and the private room R4 so that the working fluid 140 is restricted and distributed only from the private room R4 side, which is a one-sided communicating private room, to the private room R3 side, which is a communicating private room. Specifically, the second one-way communication passage 132 includes a one-way valve 132a that allows the hydraulic fluid 140 to flow only from the private room R4 side to the private room R3 side, and a throttle valve 132b that limits the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid 140, which are connected in series. arranged and configured. In this case, restricting the flow of the hydraulic fluid 140 in the throttle valve 132b means operating under the same conditions (for example, pressure and viscosity of the hydraulic fluid) as compared to the ease of flow of the hydraulic fluid 140 in the one-way valve 132a. This means that the liquid 140 is difficult to flow.

The rotary damper 100 uses the first two-way communication path 125, the first one-way communication path 126, the second two-way communication path 131, and the second one-way communication path 132 to prevent the hydraulic fluid 140 from flowing between the private chambers R1 to R4. By restricting the flow, a damping force is generated when the rotor 120 rotates.

The hydraulic fluid 140 is a substance that causes the rotary damper 100 to act as a damper by applying resistance to the movable vanes 127 and 128 that rotate the hydraulic fluid storage section 103. be satisfied. The working fluid 140 is made of a liquid, gel, or semi-solid material that has viscosity and fluidity according to the specifications of the rotary damper 100. In this case, the viscosity of the hydraulic fluid 140 is appropriately selected according to the specifications of the rotary damper 100. In this embodiment, the hydraulic fluid 140 is made of oil, such as mineral oil or silicone oil. Note that in FIGS. 5 and 6, the hydraulic fluid 140 is shown only in a hatched area surrounded by a broken line circle.

(Air venting work of rotary damper 100)
Next, a description will be given of an air venting operation of the rotary damper 100 configured as described above. This air venting work is performed by filling the hydraulic fluid 140 into the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 after assembling the rotary damper 100. This is a work to remove air remaining in the first one-way communication path 126, the second two-way communication path 131, and the second one-way communication path 132.

First, the operator fills the hydraulic fluid 140 into the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 . Specifically, the operator uses a vacuum pump (not shown) to evacuate the inside of the hydraulic fluid storage section 103, and then uses a hydraulic fluid supply pump (not shown) to evacuate the interior of the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 through at least one of the bypass passages 112a, 112b. The hydraulic fluid 140 is supplied into the hydraulic fluid storage section 103. In this case, the private rooms R1 to R4 are connected to each other directly or indirectly through the first two-way communication path 125, the first one-way communication path 126, the second two-way communication path 131, and the second one-way communication path 132. Because of this, all the compartments R1 to R4 can be filled with the hydraulic fluid 140 even if the hydraulic fluid 140 is supplied from any of the compartments R1 to R4.

In this embodiment, the bypass passage 112a does not directly communicate with the private room 3 and the private room R4, and the bypass passage 112b does not directly communicate with the private room R1 and the private room 3. Therefore, when the operator supplies the hydraulic oil 140 from the bypass passage 112a, the operator indirectly supplies the hydraulic oil from the private chambers R1 and 2 to the private chambers 3 and R4. Further, when the operator supplies the hydraulic oil 140 from the bypass passage 112b, the operator indirectly supplies the hydraulic oil from the private room R2 and the private room 4 to the private room 1 and the private room R3.

In this filling operation of the hydraulic fluid 140, the private chambers R1 to R4 in the hydraulic fluid storage section 103, the first two-way communication passage 125, the first one-way communication passage 126, the second two-way communication passage 131, and the second one-way communication passage The working fluid 140 may be filled with the air E remaining inside each of the communicating passages 132 . Therefore, after closing the bypass passages 112a and 112b, the operator performs the work of removing air from the hydraulic fluid storage section 103.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the operator places the housing 101 in a position with the air vent holes 108a and 109a facing upward, and then moves the movable vane 127 closest to the fixed vane 105 and moves the movable vane 128 to the fixed position. The rotor 120 is rotated counterclockwise so as to come closest to the vane 104. As a result, in the housing 101, the air E existing in the private chambers R1 to R4 gathers at the top of each private chamber R1 to R4 and moves between the private chambers R1 to R4 by the counterclockwise rotation of the rotor 120. do.

Specifically, the hydraulic fluid 140 in the private chamber R2 flows into the private chamber R1 via the one-way valve 131a of the second two-way communication path 131. In this case, if air E exists in the private room R2, part or all of the air E flows into the private room R1 via the one-way valve 131a of the second two-way communication path 131.

Furthermore, since the private chamber R3 communicates with the private chamber R4 through the second one-way communication path 132, the hydraulic fluid 140 in the private chamber R4 is guided through the second one-way communication path 132. However, in this case, the air E in the private room R4 gathers on the side of the air vent hole 109a, which is the uppermost part of the private room R4, and therefore hardly flows into the private room R3. As a result, the air in the private room R1 and the private room R2 gathers in the hydraulic fluid pocket 108c at the top of the private room R1.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the operator removes the plug 108b from the air vent hole 108a, opens the air vent hole 108a, and checks the presence or absence of air E. In this case, if the interior of the compartment R1 is not filled with the hydraulic fluid 140, the operator replenishes the hydraulic fluid 140 from the air vent hole 108a to fill the interior of the compartment R1 with the hydraulic fluid 140, and inserts the plug 108b into the air vent hole 108a. By screwing in and sealing the private room R1, the air inside the private room R1 can be removed. On the other hand, if the interior of the private room R1 is filled with the hydraulic fluid 140, the operator closes it again using the plug 108b to seal it.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the operator rotates the rotor 120 clockwise so that the movable vane 127 approaches the fixed vane 104 and the movable vane 128 approaches the fixed vane 105. As a result, in the housing 101, the air E existing in the private chambers R1 to R4 is moved between the private chambers R1 to R4 by the clockwise rotation of the rotor 120.

Specifically, the hydraulic fluid 140 in the private chamber R3 flows into the private chamber R1 via the first two-way communication path 125. In this case, if air E exists in the private room R3, part or all of the air E flows into the private room R1 via the first two-way communication path 125.

Furthermore, the working fluid 140 in the private chamber R1 flows into the private chamber R2 via the throttle valve 131b of the second two-way communication path 131. However, in this case, the air E in the private room R1 is concentrated near the air vent hole 108a, which is the uppermost part of the private room R1, and therefore hardly flows into the private room R2.

Furthermore, the hydraulic fluid 140 in the private chamber R2 flows into the private chamber R4 via the first one-way communication path 126. In this case, if air E exists in the private room R2, part or all of the air E flows into the private room R4 via the first one-way communication path 126. As a result, in the private chamber R1, the air in the private chamber R3 gathers in the hydraulic fluid pocket 108c at the top of the private chamber R1. Further, in the private room R4, the air in the private room R4 and the private room R2 gathers in the hydraulic fluid pocket 109c at the top of the private room R1.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the operator removes the plug 109b from the air vent hole 109a, opens the air vent hole 109a, and checks the presence or absence of air E. In this case, if the compartment R4 is not filled with the hydraulic fluid 140, the operator replenishes the hydraulic fluid 140 from the air vent hole 109a to fill the compartment R4 with the hydraulic fluid 140, and inserts the plug 109b into the air vent hole 109a. By screwing in and sealing the private room R1, the air in the private room R4 can be removed. On the other hand, if the interior of the private room R4 is filled with the hydraulic fluid 140, the operator closes it again using the plug 109b to seal it.

Then, after rotating the rotor 120 counterclockwise, the operator opens the air vent hole 108a and replenishes the hydraulic fluid 140, and after rotating the rotor 120 clockwise, opens the air vent hole 109a and replenishes the hydraulic fluid 140. By repeating this operation once or multiple times, the air E can be completely removed from the hydraulic fluid storage section 103.

In this embodiment, the operator introduces the hydraulic fluid 140 into the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 through at least one of the bypass passages 112a and 112b. However, the operator may introduce the hydraulic fluid 140 into the hydraulic fluid storage section 103 through at least one of the air vent holes 108a and 109a. Further, in the above embodiment, the operator rotates the rotor 120 counterclockwise to remove the air E from the private room R1, and then rotates the rotor 120 clockwise to remove the air E from the private room R4. However, the operator can also configure the rotor 120 to rotate the rotor 120 clockwise to remove the air E from the private room R4, and then rotate the rotor 120 counterclockwise to remove the air E from the private room R1. Alternatively, the operator may rotate the rotor 120 at least once clockwise and counterclockwise, and then open the air vent holes 108a and 109a to bleed out the air E, respectively.

The rotary damper 100 configured in this manner is provided between two components movably connected to each other. For example, the rotary damper 100 has a housing 101 attached with the frame side, which is the basic frame of a two-wheeled self-propelled vehicle (not shown), as the fixed side, and supports the rear wheels of the two-wheeled self-propelled vehicle in a vertically movable manner. The rotor 120 is attached with the base end side of the swing arm as the movable side. In addition, in FIG. 7 and FIGS. 8 to 10 described later, the hydraulic fluid 140 is shown with dark hatching.

(Operation of rotary damper 100)
Next, the operation of the rotary damper 100 configured as described above will be explained. This rotary damper 100 generates a damping force on the swing arm when the swing arm moves up and down while the self-propelled vehicle is running.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the rotary damper 100 rotates the rotor 120 in a counterclockwise direction when the rear wheel of the self-propelled vehicle runs onto a step or the like and rises from a state in which the swing arm is lowered. Rotate. That is, in the rotary damper 100, the movable vane 127 rotates toward the fixed vane 105, and the movable vane 128 rotates toward the fixed vane 104.

In this case, in the rotary damper 100, only the private chamber R4 is connected to the hydraulic fluid 140 due to the action of the first two-way communication passage 125, the first one-way communication passage 126, the second two-way communication passage 131, and the second one-way communication passage 132. Since the outflow is restricted and a high pressure state is created, the rotor 120 rotates counterclockwise in the drawing while generating a damping force that is smaller than the damping force when rotating clockwise in the drawing, which will be described later.

On the other hand, in the rotary damper 100, as shown in FIG. 12, when the rear wheel of the self-propelled vehicle climbs over a step and the swing arm descends from a raised state, the rotor 120 rotates clockwise in the figure. That is, in the rotary damper 100, the movable vane 127 rotates toward the fixed vane 104, and the movable vane 128 rotates toward the fixed vane 105.

In this case, in the rotary damper 100, the private chamber R1 and the private chamber R3 are connected to the hydraulic fluid by the action of the first two-way communication passage 125, the first one-way communication passage 126, the second two-way communication passage 131, and the second one-way communication passage 132. Since the outflow of the rotor 140 is restricted and the pressure becomes high, the rotor 120 rotates clockwise in the figure while generating a larger damping force than the damping force when rotating counterclockwise in the figure.

7, FIG. 9, FIG. 11, and FIG. 12, the rotating direction of the rotor 120 is indicated by a thick broken line arrow, and the first two-way communication path 125, the first one-way communication path 126, and the second two-way communication path 126 are shown in FIG. The respective flow directions of the hydraulic fluid 140 in the communication path 131 and the second one-way communication path 132 are indicated by thin broken line arrows (the same applies to FIGS. 13, 14, and 16, which will be described later). In addition, in FIGS. 7 to 12, states in which the pressure of the hydraulic fluid 140 is relatively high compared to other compartments are indicated by dark hatching, and states in which the pressure is relatively low are indicated by light hatching (as will be described later). The same applies to FIGS. 13, 14, and 16).

In addition, this rotary damper 100 has an air vent hole 108a and an air vent hole 109a formed in the private chamber R1 and the private chamber R4 which are physically located above when attached to the object to be attached. Therefore, a worker who maintains or repairs the rotary damper 100 can perform the maintenance or repair while the rotary damper 100 is attached to an object.

As can be understood from the explanation of the operation method above, according to the above embodiment, the air vent holes 108a and 109a of the rotary damper 100 are located at the uppermost position when the rotary damper 100 is attached to the object to which the rotary damper 100 is attached. Since the rotary damper 100 is provided in both of the two adjacent private rooms R1 and R2 via the fixed vane 104, the air E in the housing 101 can be exhausted while the rotary damper 100 is attached to an object. That is, the rotary damper 100 according to the present invention can reduce the work load during maintenance of the rotary damper 100.

Furthermore, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes can be made without departing from the purpose of the present invention. In addition, in the description of each modification, the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as in the above embodiment, and redundant description will be omitted.

For example, in the embodiment described above, the rotary damper 100 is configured such that the housing 101 is provided with two air vent holes 108a and 109a. However, the rotary damper 100 can also be provided only in one of the private rooms R1 and R4 that are adjacent to each other via the fixed vane 104.

For example, the rotary damper 100 may be configured by providing only the air vent hole 108a in the housing 101. In this case, as shown in FIG. 13, the operator who performs the air purge work removes the air E in the private room R4 by rotating the rotor 120 counterclockwise in the figure while holding the housing 101 in a position with the air purge hole 108a facing downward. You can move to private room R3. Next, as shown in FIG. 14, the operator moves the air E in the private room R3 to the private room R1 by rotating the rotor 120 clockwise in the figure with the air vent hole 108a facing upward. Air E can be exhausted from. In this case, in the private room R2, since the air in the private room R2 is accumulated in the upper part of the private room R2, the operator rotates the rotor 120 counterclockwise in the figure with the air vent hole 108a facing upward. The air E inside can be moved to the private room R1 and exhausted from the air vent hole 108a. The operator can exhaust the air in the private rooms 1 to 4 through the air vent hole 108a by repeating such a series of operations once or multiple times.

Further, in the above embodiment, the rotary damper 100 is configured by forming air vent holes 108a and 109a in the private chamber R1 and the private chamber R4, which are adjacent to each other via the fixed vane 104, respectively. However, the rotary damper 100 only needs to be provided in one or both of the two private rooms R1 to R4 that are adjacent to each other via one of the two fixed vanes 104, 105. Therefore, the air vent holes 108a and 109a may be formed in the private rooms R2 and R3, which are adjacent to each other via the fixed vane 105, respectively, instead of in the private rooms R1 and R4. In this case, the air vent holes 108a and 109a may be provided only in the private room R2 or only in the private room R3. That is, the air vent holes 108a and 109a are provided not in the private rooms R1 and R4, which are located at the uppermost position when the rotary damper 100 is attached to the object to be attached, but in the private rooms R2 and/or the private rooms R3, which are located below these. You can also do it.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the air vent holes 108a and 109a were formed at positions adjacent to the fixed vane 104, respectively. However, the air vent holes 108a and 109a can also be formed at positions apart from the fixed vane 104, for example, at positions adjacent to intermediate positions between the fixed vane 104 and the fixed vanes 104 and 105 in the housing body 102, respectively.

Further, the air vent holes 108a and 109a can be provided in the lid 110 instead of the housing body 102, as shown in FIG. 15. According to this, the air vent holes 108a, 109a can easily form a large volume of the hydraulic fluid pockets 108c, 109c.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the air vent holes 108a and 109a are configured to include hydraulic fluid pockets 108c and 109c. In this case, the hydraulic fluid pockets 108c and 109c were formed by making the lengths of the plugs 108b and 109b shorter than the depths of the air vent holes 108a and 109a. Thereby, the rotary damper 100 can trap air E in the hydraulic fluid pockets 108c and 109c and restrict its movement, so that the air can be effectively exhausted. However, as shown in FIG. 16, the air vent holes 108a and 109a are formed to such a length that the end surfaces of the plugs 108b and 109b are flush with the housing wall surface 103b, thereby omitting the hydraulic fluid pockets 108c and 109c. You can also.

Further, in the above embodiment, the rotary damper 100 has four private chambers, private chamber R1, private chamber R2, private chamber R3, and private chamber R4, by fixed vanes 104, 105 and movable vanes 127, 128 in one hydraulic fluid storage section 103. It was organized into However, the rotary damper 100 has at least two private chambers whose volume simultaneously decreases when the movable vanes 127, 128 rotate in one direction, and whose volume simultaneously increases when the movable vanes 127, 128 rotate in the other direction. , if it has at least two private rooms whose volume increases simultaneously when the movable vanes 127, 128 rotate in the one direction, and whose volumes simultaneously decrease when the movable vanes 127, 128 rotate in the other direction. good.

That is, the rotary damper 100 has at least two compartments whose volume increases simultaneously when the rotor 120 rotates in one direction, and at least two compartments whose volume simultaneously decreases when the rotor 120 rotates in one direction. It is sufficient to have one private room. Therefore, the rotary damper 100 has three individual chambers whose volume simultaneously increases when the rotor 120 rotates in one direction, and three individual chambers whose volume simultaneously decreases when the rotor 120 rotates in one direction. It can also be configured with

Further, in the above embodiment, the rotary damper 100 has the housing 101 on the fixed side and the rotor 120 on the movable side. However, the rotation of the rotor 120 with respect to the housing 101 in the rotary damper 100 is relative. Therefore, it goes without saying that the rotary damper 100 can have the housing 101 on the movable side and the rotor 120 on the fixed side.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the second two-way communication path 131 and the second one-way communication path 132 are provided in the movable vanes 127 and 128. However, the second two-way communication path 131 and the second one-way communication path 132 can also be provided in the fixed vanes 104 and 105.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the rotary damper 100 is attached to the swing arm of a two-wheeled self-propelled vehicle. However, the rotary damper 100 is used in a location other than the swing arm of a two-wheel self-propelled vehicle (for example, a seat opening/closing mechanism), or in a vehicle other than a two-wheel self-propelled vehicle (a suspension mechanism, a seat mechanism, or an opening/closing mechanism in a four-wheel self-propelled vehicle). It can be used by being attached to a mechanical device, electrical device, or appliance other than a self-propelled vehicle (door) or a self-propelled vehicle.

R1 to R4...Private chamber, E...Air remaining in the hydraulic fluid storage section,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100... Rotary damper, 101... Housing, 102... Housing main body, 102a... Opening part, 103... Hydraulic fluid storage part, 103a... Bottom part, 103b... Storage part wall surface, 104, 105... Fixed vane, 106... Seal body, 107... Rotor support part, 108a, 109a... air vent hole, 108b, 109b... plug, 108c, 109c... hydraulic fluid pocket,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 110... Lid body, 111... Rotor support part, 112a, 112b... Bypass passage, 113a, 113b... Adjustment needle, 114... Bolt,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 120... Rotor, 121... Shaft body, 122... Support shaft part, 123... Connection part, 124... Accumulator, 124a... Cylinder, 124b... Piston, 124c... Pressing elastic body, 124d... Plug, 125... First two-way communication path , 126... First one-way communication path, 126a... One-way valve, 127, 128... Movable vane, 129... Seal body,
131... Second two-way communication path, 131a... One-way valve, 131b... Throttle valve, 132... Second one-way communication path, 132a... One-way valve, 132b... Throttle valve,
140... Hydraulic fluid.

Claims (7)

It has a cylindrical hydraulic fluid storage part that liquid-tightly stores the hydraulic fluid, and a wall is formed in the hydraulic fluid storage part along the radial direction to partition the inside of the hydraulic fluid storage part and prevent the hydraulic fluid from being stored in the hydraulic fluid storage part. a housing having a plurality of fixed vanes that impede circumferential flow;
a rotor having a movable vane on the outer periphery of a shaft body that rotates while partitioning the inside of the hydraulic fluid storage section and pushing the hydraulic fluid toward the fixed vane;
at least four private chambers formed by the fixed vane and the movable vane in the hydraulic fluid storage portion and whose volume increases or decreases depending on the direction of rotation of the movable vane;
an air vent hole formed in the housing and communicating the private chamber with the outside of the housing;
A rotary damper comprising a communication path that allows at least two of the at least four private chambers to communicate with each other,
The air vent hole is
When the rotary damper is provided only in one or both of the two private rooms that are adjacent to each other via one of the at least two fixed vanes, and the rotary damper is attached to the object to which the rotary damper is attached. is installed at the top of the private room ,
The communication path is
A rotary damper characterized in that the individual chamber in which the air vent hole is formed is directly or indirectly connected to all the private chambers in which the air vent hole is not formed. It has a cylindrical hydraulic fluid storage part that liquid-tightly stores the hydraulic fluid, and a wall is formed in the hydraulic fluid storage part along the radial direction to partition the inside of the hydraulic fluid storage part and prevent the hydraulic fluid from being stored in the hydraulic fluid storage part. a housing having a plurality of fixed vanes that impede circumferential flow;
a rotor having a movable vane on the outer periphery of a shaft body that rotates while partitioning the inside of the hydraulic fluid storage section and pushing the hydraulic fluid toward the fixed vane;
at least four private chambers formed by the fixed vane and the movable vane in the hydraulic fluid storage portion and whose volume increases or decreases depending on the direction of rotation of the movable vane;
an air vent hole formed in the housing and communicating the private chamber with the outside of the housing;
A rotary damper comprising a communication path that allows at least two of the at least four private chambers to communicate with each other,
The air vent hole is
Provided only in one or both of the two private chambers adjacent to each other via one of the at least two fixed vanes , and protruding from the outer surface of the housing ,
The communication path is
A rotary damper characterized in that the individual chamber in which the air vent hole is formed is directly or indirectly connected to all the private chambers in which the air vent hole is not formed. In the rotary damper according to claim 1 or claim 2 ,
The air vent hole is
A rotary damper characterized in that the rotary damper is provided in one or both of the two private chambers that are adjacent to each other via a fixed vane that is located at the uppermost position when the rotary damper is attached to an object to which the rotary damper is attached. The rotary damper according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
The air vent hole is
A rotary damper, characterized in that it is formed at a position adjacent to the fixed vane. The rotary damper according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
The air vent hole is
A rotary damper characterized in that the rotary damper is provided in both of the two private chambers that are adjacent to each other via the one fixed vane. The rotary damper according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
The air vent hole is
A rotary damper comprising a hydraulic fluid pocket that projects outward from an inner wall of the hydraulic fluid storage portion in a cylindrical shape and accommodates a portion of the hydraulic fluid. The rotary damper according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
The housing includes:
a bottomed cylindrical housing body forming the hydraulic fluid storage portion;
and a lid body that covers the opening of the housing body,
The air vent hole is
A rotary damper, characterized in that it is formed in the housing body.

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